In my experience, you’re either a shoe person or a handbag person. Perhaps you have the budget and closet space for both (congrats!), but if you fall into the latter category of seasoned bag pro, then it’s highly likely that you’ll be one of two types of collectors: You’ll enjoy either indulging in the fun, It bag of the moment or investing in timeless classics. Rarely do the two meet, and the opposing camps that divide this world of leather-goods connoisseurs provide inspiration for those who like seasonal switch-ups as well as the shoppers with a longer-term strategy in mind.
This dynamic has played out across the fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris. I’ve witnessed many a classic come back to the fore. In fact, you can’t move through the street style galleries for the Hermès Birkins, nylon Pradas and Chanel Flap bags. They are all quiet, neat and timeless; worthwhile purchases considering how they appreciate in value. However, if it’s adrenaline you’re after, I’ve also seen plenty of the season’s unique and unusual statement bags toted on the arms of fashion’s leaders. There’s nothing quite like a new handbag style to totally transform an old outfit, so puffy finishes and Y2K throwback styles—complete with trinkets and all—are what the more experimental dressers are using to pep up their looks.
I combed through thousands of IRL looks from stylists, buyers, editors and influencers to hunt down the new (and old) handbags on the rise for autumn/winter 2022, and these were the results…
Tagged: handbags